A MAN who hit a gay Labour councillor over the head with a hammer after being picked up for sex is facing jail.

Marian Calin, 29, met Neil Wilson at Wanstead Flats and went to the councillor’s home in Plaistow, where they had sex.

But when asked to leave, he turned nasty and left Mr Wilson needing five stitches to a head wound.

Mr Wilson, executive member for equalities and social inclusion at Newham Council, at first claimed Calin had called at his home as a constituent.

He later admitted he “had not been entirely forthcoming” about the incident and had gone to Wanstead Flats looking for sex.

Prosecutor Hugh Forgan told the Old Bailey: “Mr Wilson didn’t initially tell the whole story. You may understand in the circumstances a degree of embarrassment felt by Mr Wilson as to how Mr Calin came to be in the property.

“Initially his account was that a man knocked on his door to speak to him because he knew Mr Wilson was a councillor and he let him in only to be attacked.

“Mr Wilson’s account became more truthful when he was taken to hospital and again spoke to officers.

“When in hospital he said he had picked up Mr Calin at Wanstead Flats and sexual acts had taken place at his house.”

Giving evidence in court, Mr Wilson denied he had lied to police but admitted he had not given a “clear and rational explanation of what happened”.

He said: “I had been hit on the head and I think it was a combination of fear and embarrassment.”

The court heard he met Calin within minutes of arriving at Wanstead Flats on the afternoon of Sunday, January 24 last year.

Mr Forgan said: “The purpose in going there was because he is a gay man and he was looking for someone for sex.

“They talked and agreed to go back to Mr Wilson’s address.”

After having consensual sex, Mr Wilson became suspicious when Calin returned to the bedroom claiming he had lost his mobile phone, the court heard.

“At this stage he wanted him to leave,” said Mr Forgan.

“As he went downstairs Calin picked up a hammer which had been left on the landing floor and struck Mr Wilson to the back of the head, before going past the now badly injured Mr Wilson and out the front door.”

The injured councillor tried to follow his attacker but was forced to stop because he was bleeding heavily.

Calin, of Tottenham, fled the country on the night of the attack and was not arrested until August 25 when he was stopped at Dover docks.

In interview he claimed Mr Wilson tried to throttle him during a sex act and then hit him with the hammer.

Calin was cleared of wounding with intent by the jury but was convicted of the lesser alternative of unlawful wounding.

He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on March 1.